Manufacture of gear-wheels



(No M odel.) D.'S. BISSELL.

' MANUFAGTURE 0F GEAR WHEELS. No. 595,553. Patented Dec. 14, 1897.

FIELI.

2 diff/SM mwmm WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT v FFICE.

MANUFACTURE OF G EAR-WH EELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,553, dated December14, 1897.

Application filed. February 15, 1897. Serial No. 623.399. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, DAVID S. BISSELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and usefulImprovements in the Manufacture of Gear-Wheels, of which improvementsthe following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in theconstruction of gear-wheels, especially of that class or kind which areformed in two or more sections, so as to permit of their easy removalfrom their shafts in case of breakage.

My improved wheel is more especially adapted for use in transmittingpower from anelectrio motor to street-car axles. On account of thefrequency of the breakage of such wheels it is necessary, or at leasthighly desirable, to form them in two or more sections, so as to permitof their renewal without removing any considerable portion of thedriving and transmitting mechanism.

Heretofore gear-wheels for street-car motors have been of cast-steelormalleable iron in two'or more sections, the rim, spokes, and hubs ofeach section being formed'integral with each other. This material andmanner of forming the wheels are objectionable on account of theblow-holes which are generally present in steel castings. pens that incutting the teeth in a casting which is apparently sound quite largeblowholes are disclosed, which render the casting worthless. It alsofrequently happens that the blow-holes are not disclosed in theformation of the teeth; but such cutting operation so reduces the wallssurrounding the blow-holes that the wheel will break as soon assubjected to considerable strain.

The object of the present invention is to construct a sectionalgear-wheel with a wro ughtsteel rim or felly and with a cast or wroughtsteel or iron hub and arms. The inven- It frequently hap-' theconnecting-bolts being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a detail view showingthe head or enlargement on the ends of the spoke-sections.

In the practice of my invention I form, by rolling or hammering, a blanksimilar to a channel-bar in that it has flanges united by a web or bodyportion, but with an added body of metal in the web or body ofsufficient thickness to permit of the formation of teeth by cutting orswaging. This blank is then divided into sections of a length sufficientto form the whole or any desired portion of the rim or felly of thewheel. The length of such sections will be dependent upon the diameterof the wheel and will also depend upon the character of the wheeled. e.,whether the rim or felly is to be made in sections or not. For purposesof illustration I have shown the invention as used in the constructionof sectional wheels such as employed in street-car service. These blanksections are then heated and bent to the desired curvature. As thefiangesare liable to be twisted in the bending operation, it ispreferred to employ a former to prevent any such distortion of theflanges. The curved blanks are then secured to a suitable support forthe teeth-forming operation.

For convenience the spokes and hub of the completed wheel are preferableas supports for the rim and felly. The rim or felly being secured to thespokes, the teethare formed, preferably, by milling in the web or bodyportion 1 of the blank.

For street-car purposes, where it is some times necessary to remove thegear-wheels, the latter are made in sections, as shown, and the severalparts of the wheel are secured together before the teeth are formed. Insuch a sectional wheel the spokes or arms 3 are formed integral with thehub-sections 4, as shown. On the outer ends of the arm-sections areformed curved heads 5, of a crosssectional shape and dimensions,correspond ing to the space between the flanges 2 of the rim. Theseheads are secured to the rim by means of bolts or rivets passing throughthe flanges and heads. On account of the liability of nuts becomingloose it is preferred to em ploy countersunk rivets, as shown, for thepurpose of connecting the rims and spokes.

The two sections of the Wheel are connected together by transverse bolts6, passing through the spokes, as shown.

As the blanks of the rims of my improved gear-wheels are produced byhammering or rolling down a considerable mass or body of metal, anyblow-holes or porosity existing in the ingot or billet is closed up, thewalls of the blow-holes being welded together, so that the resultantblank is a solid homogeneous body of metal, much tougher and less liableto breakage than even solid steel ormalleableiron castings. The body ofthe blank is made of sufficient thickness to permit of the formation ofteeth of the desired height on the web portion a, having the flanges 2along its inner edges. By forming the rim-blank independent of the huband arms or spokes and detachably securing it to the spokes a renewal ofthe rims, which are more rapidly worn out than other parts of thewheels, can be easily and quickly effected. The parts of the wheel areso constructed and united that the two sections thereof can -be boundtogether by bolts closely adjacent to the rim. This is a very desirablecharacteristic, as in such position the bolts are better capable ofresisting any strain.

I claim herein as my invention- As an improvement in the art ofmanufacturing gear-wheels, the method herein described, which consistsin shaping a blank by rolling or forging, having abody portion withflanges along its edges, cutting the blank into sections of desiredlength, heating said sections and bending them to the desired curvature,securing the flanges to a centering-support as the hub and spokes andfinally forming teeth in body portion forming the rim or felly,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

DAVID S. BISSELL.

\Vitnesses:

DARWIN S. WoLcoTr, M. S. MURPHY.

